he/him

(TIE)
But like the rain that stopped
You had disappeared.

8.25
Buddies: 9.5x1 (@aux) 9.25x1 (@Wills) 9x6(@boombazookajoe, @Slice of Life, @Crisp X, @Serg., @Music Is Death, @Remorque)
Antis: 7x3 (@soratami, @eliminathan, @thommyh) 7.5x3 (@M24, @Cotton Park, @Vixen), 7.75x1 (@BEST FICTION)
Hosts:
@junglefish: 8.75
@savilizabeths: 8
5 voters: 53
10 voters: 53
15 voters: 46
20 voters: 52
26 voters: 57
10 voters: 53
15 voters: 46
20 voters: 52
26 voters: 57
Two songs share the 57th spot and I've decided for no particular reason that Red Umbrella would be the first to fall! No 10s here but six 9s and not one score lower than 7! Pretty impressive for a bside from an era most people ignored because they didn't like the single.
Composed by Heuktae, who's worked with the group before and also collaborated with Lovelyz and Apink, Red Umbrella is inspired by Shibuya-kei, a genre of music that mixes jazz, electro and soul and had its glory days in the 90s in Japan before knowing a kind of resurgence in Korea, thanks in part to the amazing Clazziquai, comparable to the resurgence of City pop only on a smaller scale. But anyway, we're here to talk about Red Umbrella, not Shibuya-kei which is too bad because I don't really have anything to say about it!
Don't get me wrong, it's catchy, well produced and all in all a great track, it's just never been one of my favorites from GFRIEND or even from Parallel. It's the kind of song I love when I listen to the album in its entirety but I wouldn't seek out by itself. Still, like I said, the production is very good here and you can hear those shibuya-kei influences, but what I get even more from it is some kind of... disco-for-beginners vibe which I love. The lyrics are very sweet, talking about sharing an umbrella with someone during a rain shower and growing closer to that person in that short moment. Kinda bittersweet too actually, as that person leaves once the rain stops, but hey! Just keep your eyes on the weather forecast and you might meet them again, who knows?
@eatyourself (8.75) : I looooooooove the production but I want another chorus!!
@M24 (7.5) : I really like this, I just wish the instrumental were a little more playful like in the intro. I didn't realize the lyrics were so sad, because the song is quite upbeat.
@Attis (8.5) : Love the little bossa nova influence
@Wills (9.25) : The chorus melody on this is so lovely: soothing but never sleepy
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